Every Side
by River-in-the-Stars
Summary: Based off an rp (Thanks you guys!) RusCan and PrusOC. Canada and Russia find an ex-nation with no clue who she is. Rates M for language, dark themes, and just to be safe!
1. Chapter 1

If I had known that I would just be sent for errands I would have never begged to be let outside. I sigh as I walk to the bar I worked at part-time to get ready for my shift of bartending . I knew my dads meant well, they could just be a little over protective. They hardly ever let me go out by myself; they never did. One of them would always go with me, ever since they took me in. The two half brothers had found me outside in the back parking lot of their travel agency and gave me food, clothes, and a roof over my head when I was about three or four. When they realized I didn't remember anything about my past, they gave me a new name: Celestia. I turn the corner and receive a text stating that the pictures my Dads wanted developed would be ready for pick up in a half hour. Shaking my head at the fact that its ten years worth of them I walk into the bar. As usual, people are already sitting and drinking their sorrows away this early in the day. I make my way to the back where we have private rooms for parties. As I walk past them one is already occupied and inside are two men, one blushing , the other drunk I assume, seeing as he has his shirt off and is holding a vodka bottle.

"Oh, God! I'm sorry!" I apologize while blushing. I look away and can't help but blush more when I think the guy is ripped. The next thing I know I am in the air and plopped in a seat by the shirtless guy.

"You will be staying with us, da?" the shirtless man says. I notice he has a bit of a Russian accent.

"Um, I just walked by at the wrong time, I'm sorry," I say blushing. I look between them confused and embarrassed as hell. The shirtless guy was huge, at least 6' 3" and had grey hair with violet eyes. I look at the other to avoid staring at his chest. The other one was around my height, 5' 8" with blonde hair and glasses.

"It is fine, would you like some vodka?" the guy asks. I shake my head and look to the blonde one.

"Is he always like this?" I ask him and he jumps when I speak to him.

"N-no. He usually can handle his vodka," he tells me. His face looks like it has seen a ghost.

"Da, I am handling it," I look back to the shirtless guy. He hands me a bottle that has appeared from nowhere. He smiles at me with a smile that tells me I don't have a choice. I take the bottle; it's still sealed so it isn't drugged. I crack it open to take a sip.

"Careful! That stuff is strong!" the blonde one says, trying to stop me, but I drink anyway.

"This is good," I say and look at the label. It isn't a brand we carry and notices it is actually Russian. This is quality stuff from the drink's motherland and is without a doubt better than the shit we serve. I look to the blonde and see he isn't drinking. "Did you want anything from the bar? I'm not on shift for another two hours, but I can grab you something," I start but he cuts me off.

"Oh, no, but thank you. I don't drink, nothing good happens when I do," he blushes. In the corner the other man puts his shirt back on and I notice it is a long, white, jacket-like one with a scarf.

"That's fine. At least you know your limits. You wouldn't believe some of the people we get here! Once these two guys were so drunk, one started flirting with the other and the guy got pissed, called him a Frog and then bouncer had to kick them out!" I laugh, glad that someone has some sense for once. The blonde one groans at the story. Then I realize I am drinking with two complete strangers, one who was just half-naked.

"I am sorry. I've been rude! My name is Celestia Jones. Pleased to meet you both!" I tell them and turn to the now dressed man who offered me an actual drink when he starts to talk to me.

"It is always nice to be making new friends!" he picks me up in a bear hug. "I am Russia." I am about state that he has placed his nationality instead of a name when the blonde one interrupts.

"Ivan! His name is Ivan!" he practically yells and cuts his eyes to the Russian. "And my name is Matthew. Pleased to meet you, as well." I hold up the bottle and look at them both.

"You do know we serve alcohol here, right?" I joke and take another sip. "Nothing this quality though. Good tastes, Ivan!" He just smiles and pulls out his own bottle again, or at least that was what I thought until I see the empty bottle on the table. "Ok. You just had your shirt off! Where are you keeping them?"

"Where do you keep them, Ivan?" Matthew looks to his friend and Ivan just shrugs. I figure it is a magic trick and let it go.

"So I work here, what do you guys do?" I ask them and I get silent stares for a moment. "What?"

"We can't tell you, sorry," Matthew tells me.

"What are you cartel or something?" I laugh but then stop and look at the Russian. I could believe he was a cartel.

"No no no, nothing like that!" Matthew begins and his face blushes.

"Oh my god!" I remember Ivan with his shirt off and put two and two together and Ivan looks at me and laughs.

"What are you thinking?" he asks me and I blush even more.

"You aren't strippers are you?" I ask and they both erupt in laughter. I take it as a no. "Sorry."

"Its fine," they both say.

"So I have time to kill before I have to go pick up some photos and this," I hold up the vodka bottle, "Is too good to ignore!"

"Photos?" asks Matthew.

"Yeah. My Dads own a travel agency and they go everywhere! They never get the all photos developed, so about ten years worth of pictures are being printed now," I say.

"Ten years is a lot of photos, I am thinking," Ivan says. Matthew just stares in disbelief. I pull out my phone and look at the text the photo company sent me.

"Oh just 3000, give or take," I tell them. I hear Matthew let out a small exclamation that sounds like "Holy Maple". "Best part is I get to sift through them and sort them by site."

"That sounds, interesting, I guess," Matthew states and I nod.

"It's always fun to see the far off places! When one of my Dads goes off they always bring me back a souvenir, like once when they went to Russia, they sent me a nesting doll set. One day, I am going to see the world too!" I wonder briefly why I am telling all this and I start to think I may be drunk. "The photos are the best to! I love looking for the personalities!" I hear a cough and a squeak from Ivan and Matthew respectively.

"Personalities?" Matthew asks. I blush and try to think of a way to explain it.

"It's just something my Dads have always said. Every country has its own personality and if you are lucky you can see them," I hear a small little sound come from Matthew. "Then again they also say some of the personalities you should avoid at all costs." The next thing I hear is a laugh from Matthew. "What?"

"Your fathers are very smart, da?" Ivan says. He and Matthew share a look between each other.

"I guess you could say that."

"Tell us a bit about them." I blink at them both and I can't stop the words from falling out of my mouth.

"Well, for starters, they are actually half brothers. They raised me after they found me in the parking lot. They are amazing Dads that can sometimes be overprotective and I practically have to beg to go out by myself because they worry about me. They kind of have to, I mean when they found me I was injured and had no memories and have a slight case of multiple personality disorder," I ramble on. I have no clue why I keep talking, but something about them makes me trust them. I unconsciously grab at my lucky coin necklace while talking. "They taught me a few languages and always tried to do their best for me even though they were always coming and going. That's about it."

"When will those pictures be ready for pick up?" Matthew asks. I check my phone and see that the time is five minutes past the estimated finishing time.

"About now, why?"

"I'd like to see them," Matthew looks to Ivan and Ivan nods.

"The shop is next door so I can grab them. I have an hour and a half before my shift starts anyhow," I say and start to leave.  
>"Before you go, what are your Dads names?" Matthew asks me.<p>

"Alfred and Juan," I say and leave to pick up the pictures, confused about what just happened.

After I leave Matthew looks to Ivan. He pulls out a bottle of Canadian maple syrup and takes a sip and then looks back out the door.

"Her last name is Jones. She said one of her fathers' names was Alfred. You don't think she's..." He trails off unsure of what to think. Ivan takes his half full bottle of vodka and downs it in one shot.

"I am not sure about what I am thinking, but the personality of the countries has me worried slightly," Ivan tells him.

"Well she fits the description. If Juan is Mexico and Alfred is America, she was found by two countries, and she might not know she is one."

"Let us talk with her more and see what she says, da? I have just the thing too!" Ivan reaches into his coat and pulls out his pipe.

"Ivan! No! Put that away!" Matthew says. "Let me talk to her alone for a few when she gets back ok?" Ivan puts the pipe away and nods. Matthew blushes when Ivan then bends down and plants a kiss on his cheek. They continue to kiss until I return and I see them.

"You two are so adorable together!" I say in awe, but I know my face is red from walking in on another bad moment. They break away, Ivan beaming and Matthew just as red as me.

"I must make a phone call, I will be back," Ivan says and walks outside. I go in with a box filled with photographs and place it on the table. I reach in and grab a stack to go through.

"So are both of your Dads Jones?" Matthew asks me and I shake my head.

"Just Al. Juan's last name is Carriedo," I tell him as I look through the pictures I stop on one and hand it to him. "Hey here they are!" It is a picture of myself, Juan, and Alfred standing at the Statue of Liberty.

"Oh my maple it is them," Matthew says breathlessly and I look to him confused. I stand up and knock the photos over.

"Aw, shit!" I start to pick them up with Matthew helping and Ivan walks back in. He sees one and looks to it.

"It is England, nyet?" he says. Matthew looks at the photo and gasps.

"It is."

"Oh, which part?" I ask and Ivan laughs.

"All of him," Ivan says and his face pales. Matthew goes white and I take the picture.

"This is the guy that got drunk and Kyle had to kick out for fighting with the frog guy!" I laugh but notice something in the picture. The Pyramids are his background. "This isn't England though, it's Egypt." I notice the date on the picture too; it's from nine years ago. "This thing is nine years old! How does he look the same?" I start to piece parts together. The called him England, the Russian called himself Russia, not Russian. I back up from them. "You really are cartel! What? International code names for deals on the side?" I grab my phone and start to call the travel agency and get a hold of either of my Dads.

"No! Just hear us out!" Matthew begins but I call anyway and the phone is ringing. "You asked about our jobs right, I'll tell you just first, these are your fathers right?" he asks holding up our family picture. I nod and their secretary answers.

"Alfred or Juan please?" I ask and Matthew panics. Ivan walks behind me slowly.

"We are countries! I am the embodiment of Canada, he is Russia! Your dads are America and Mexico and I think you might be a country too!" I stare at him and Alfred picks up the phone.

"Alfred Jones speaking, how may I help you?" Matthew walks closer.

"The guy form the bar is England, one of my dads. The guy he was fighting with is France, my other dad. They tend to fight a lot." Ivan finally reaches me and takes my phone.

"Celestia? I know your number so answer me? Are you ok?" Alfred says. Ivan takes the call.

"Privet, Amerika. How are you?" he tells him. I look at Matthew and something clicks in my brain.

"You are the personality." Matthew nods at that and I start to laugh.

"Russia? What the fuck are you doing with my daughter's phone, you damn Commie bastard! You better not lay a finger on her!" Alfred screams and I can hear it all the way over here.

"Hi, Al!" Matthew yells.

"Who was that?" Alfred asks and Ivan gets an evil grin.

"Francis. We have your daughter in a gay strip club." Matthew runs to Ivan and leans to the phone and gives a strange "Hon hon hon sound" and they both crack up. I shake my head and take my phone back while hearing Al making threats to them stating the Hero would come.

"Dad? It's me."

"Are you ok, Cel? Did they hurt you? Cover your eyes and if Francis…"

"Dad, I am at work. I just meet Ivan and Matthew…"

"That was Matthew! I am going to kick his maple scented ass for that!"

"Who are these guys and are you really America, dad?" I ask, knowing it is the truth. Ivan and Matthew shut up and listen now.

"Yeah. I am."

"What about Juan?"

"Mexico."

"These guys?"

"Canada and Russia. Matthew is actually my brother, too. Don't know why I keep forgetting."

"What about me?" I ask. "Am I one, too?"

"We don't know."

"You don't know!" I yell. "How the hell can you not know!"

"Well we think you were the Nation of Celestial Space."

"What do you mean by "were"?" I ask. The name rings a bell and I fall to my knees knowing the answer isn't pretty.

"The country dissolved 44 years ago. I am sorry." I hang up not caring anymore. Bits and pieces of old memories appear. Attempting to stop the US and Soviets from launching into space, no one recognizing me as a nation, the boss dying and me being left alone. An old nightmare of a memory I relive every night appears and I place my arms around me trying to forget the pain of that day. Ivan and Matthew had heard the entire conversation and were standing behind me trying to help. All I could do was fall to the floor and cry.


	2. Chapter 2

Ivan looks on wishing he could help me, but he isn't very good in these kinds of situations. He looks to Matthew in hopes that he would know how to handle the situation. Matthew helps me up and comforts me.

"I know it is shocking to learn countries are personified and that you are one t…" he starts but I cut him off with the shake of my head.

"It's not that. That I am fine with. Hell I am talking to two of the places I want to go!" I laugh. "I always planned on traveling to Canada first, you know. Closest to home. I love the world and I want to see it all, and hated that we can't see it all due to not enough time. Countries being people is the coolest thing ever!" I smile at him.

"Well that isn't a reaction I've ever had before," Matthew muses. Ivan stares shocked at that declaration. "What's wrong then?"

"Turns out I am one too. They never told me. I used to be a country…" I say and can't continue because what do you say? I have flashes of memory and no clue who I am now.

"You… used… to be…?" Matthew says and stares at me shocked.

"Turns out I dissolved 44 years ago."

"Maybe she is like Gilbert?" Ivan wonders. Matthew just slowly nods his head. The next thing I know Matthew and Ivan are hugging me and I feel hands over mine. I look at them and Matthew is trying to pry my fingers off of my coin. I realize then that I had gripped it so hard my fingers were bleeding.

"Hey, it's ok!" Matthew tells me. He looks at my hands and then goes out for a moment, leaving me with Ivan. He holds me again and looks at me.

"If you are a country, then you can be seeing the world, da? We don't grow old so you have all the time you want for traveling!" I look at him and nod. Matthew returns with paper towels and takes the bottle of vodka I had been drinking.

"What are you doing, Matthe.." I ask then wince when he pours a bit on my hands to clean the wounds. Ivan makes a pained noise, but not because it looks painful; he is thinking what I am thinking. "Matthew! That's a waste of perfectly good alcohol!"

"I don't care. Why were you gripping that coin so tight in the first place?" he asks me and I just stare.

"It's a stress thing, I guess. I've always done it."

"Well, it can't be good for you if you hurt yourself!" he exclaims. He grabs the coin to wipe off the blood. "What kind of coin is this anyhow?" Ivan walks over and hugs Matthew from behind and looks at the coin as well.

"No coin I have ever seen. What is a 'Celeston'?" Ivan muses. Matthew giggles as he hands me the coin back.

"I don't know, Ivan, but it sounds like a fancy tuna brand!" I snatch the coin back as they laugh and put the leather cord back around my neck. The familiar coolness of the coin on my skin soothes me a bit.

"It's not funny!" I snap at the two and the stop laughing and look at me shocked. I feel bad now and immediately apologize. "Sorry! I don't know why that irritated me so much." Ivan looks at me and then tilts his head.

"If you do not remember being a country, maybe it is your currency, da?" Matthew turns to him and smiles.

"Hey! You might be right!" he exclaims and pulls out his phone. "How is that spelled?" Ivan recites the letters from the coin and then Matthew holds out his phone proudly. "It is!" Sure enough there on his phone is a Wikipedia page and sitting proudly on it is my coin.

"Well, I'll be damned," I say in awe. I take his phone gently and read the wiki article that is apparently about me. I focus on the short article and can faintly hear Matthew and Ivan talking to each other.

"I am thinking we should introduce her to Gilbert, da?" Ivan chuckles. "It may be doing him some good as well as her." Matthew throws his arms around him and kisses him deeply.

"This is why I love you; you always have the best ideas!" Matthew starts then goes slightly sad. "However, you know my history with him…"

"He will not be trying anything, if he does I have the solution," Ivan says. Matthew knows he is referring to the pipe he carries everywhere. Matthew just shakes his head in disbelief and looks at me.

"Are you ok?" he asks me when he notices that I am just sitting there. He gets closer and sees I am shaking, have taken hold of the coin, and completely freaking out. He takes his phone back and sees that I was reading about myself. "You got some memories back, didn't you?"

"No is not the time, Matthew," Ivan says pulling him back. The Russian knows a thing or two about bad memories and hands me the bottle of vodka that was half empty. "Here, it does help some." He pulls back when I don't take it and takes a step back. "She is still in her head…" he states and pulls Matthew into an embrace. "You may not want to watch."

"Why? What is happening?" Matthew asks and starts for me but is pulled back by Ivan.

"She is remembering, and by looks, not good things," he tells Matthew, and as if to prove his point I start to scream. Ivan holds Matthew away from me as I fall over in an attack that only I know about.

"Don't! Please don't! Stop!" I plead with the ghosts of my pasts. Tears stream down my face and I curl into a fetal position to protect myself from attackers that were no longer there. In my head I can remember each blow, kick, cut of the knife, and insult thrown my way. Matthew breaks away from Ivan and grabs hold of me and it shocks me back. I cling to him like a drowning man clings to his life raft and he slowly rocks me back and forth. Once I have calmed down some Ivan hands me the bottle again and I nearly inhale it. I thank God they don't question me; I don't want to talk about it.

"Celestia?" Matthew asks and I look to him. "How would you feel about meeting another country?"

"Prussia to be exact, da. He is like you, no longer a country," Ivan states. I jump at that.

"Wait, so there are others like me? I'm not going to disappear?" My mood instantly improves.

"Yes, and we wouldn't let you disappear!" Matthew states nervously. He doesn't have the heart to tell me Prussia was originally thought to be the only one in existence, and that was only thanks to his little yellow bird.

"When can we leave?" I practically yell. "I want to meet Prussia!"

"His name is Gilbert, and we can leave first thing tomorrow. How does that sound?" Matthew asks. I nod enthusiastically and then run off to tell my boss I was taking the night off; they had tried to get me to take a week off for a while now.

"Where are you going?" Matthew asks and I as I run off I yell an answer back.

"To use some vacation time!" When I come back, they had already left the room so I head outside and see them waiting with the coolest looking Mercedes-Benz I have ever seen.

"We are going to go to Matthew's place. I believe we should celebrate da?" Ivan says and we all get in.

"Yes! Party time!" I exclaim, hoping to get some more of that badass vodka. We ride for about five minutes before pulling up at a modest house. "I didn't know you lived in America!"

"It's a vacation home," Matthew blushes. Ivan runs in before we even get out of the car.

"What's his problem?" I ask. Matthew just shakes his head and shrugs. When we get in, Ivan holds out a glass of what looks like maple syrup. I ask about it and sure enough, it is. "You really are Canadian!" I tell him and laugh as he drinks the entire glass. Ivan them slaps him on the back and smiles when Matthew coughs.

"You spiked this, didn't you?" Matthew asks in horror. "You know that bastard comes out when I am drunk!" I get confused to this statement. Little did I know in a few minutes I would meet said bastard.

"I was thinking you could handle it," Ivan smirks and hands me a bottle of vodka and I take it willingly.

"Yeah, Matthew. You can't be that bad," I begin but then notice his face has gone strange. "Hey, you ok?"

"Oui, mon petite lapin. Bonjour," he says and Ivan freaks out some.

"What are you talking about? Your little rabbit?" I ask confused. Ivan laughs nervously and looks to me.

"Remember how you said you were having the multiple personalities?" Ivan asks and I nod. "It is a country thing. Matthew has French and British personalities in him, and when he is drunk…" Ivan looks pointedly to the now French Canadian.

"So he gets like this if he is drunk? I can fix that!" I walk up to him as he turns to Ivan and starts to flirt with him. "Hey! Frenchie!"

"Oui, lapin?" he begins and I slap him. Next thing I know I hear a loud gasp and feel a hard blow to the head. All I see next is black.

When I wake up, I feel strange. I look around me and I am in an empty room and I hear a small laugh. Then I notice I can't move my body; yet my body is moving anyhow.

"Bonjour, mon cher!" I say. I realize that I have switched personalities and find myself shocked that I am French too. Ivan looks to me terrified and then looks at Matthew. I hold out my hand to him and ask, "Would you care for a dance?"

"Non! He is mine!" I hear and Matthew comes up to me angrily. "Mon petite lapin, I however, would love that dance." I take his hand and Ivan slaps it.

"Oh, ho! The hard to get game, no? Makes this fun!" I say and lean towards him. "However, I wish not to stand between two loves!" I take a small bow and turn to leave. "I have a nice black dress and a town to paint red, so I shall leave you to each other, no?"

I run and find the dress and change and then start to leave. I pop my head back in on them and find them kissing.

"Goodbye, you two! Do everything I would do!" I tell them and leave laughing. Once on the street I have no idea what to do. Then I think of the bar and remember that it does have a dance floor. French me laughs and runs to it, while inside I am screaming to be let go.


	3. Chapter 3

Back at the house, Matthew is doing all the kissing; Ivan is trying to get him off.

"Matvey, please… this is not you!" Ivan pushes Matthew off and the shock of it makes him snap back. Ivan backs away unsure of how to help when Matthew blinks at him slowly and starts to walk to him.

"Ivan? What happened?" Matthew asks. Ivan runs to him and holds him glad that he is normal again.

"You were drunk, da? You know what happens when you drink," relief washes over Ivan and he kisses the Canadian, forgetting that there is another French maniac running around.

I finally reach the bar and walk in and immediately sit down. The manager, James, sees me and laughs.

"What is the point of taking vacation time if you are gonna spend it here, Cel?" he asks me.

"Thought I would dance here for once, mon ami!" I laugh back. Inside I am panicking… I can't get control. Normally I can get control back, because they were just voices but now I don't know what is even happening. "Besides, I am leaving in the morning for overseas!"

"Lucky you! Send us a postcard, will ya?" James says and pats my shoulder. "First round'll be on the house tonight, got it?" I nod and see a guy that strikes my interest.

"That, mon ami, sounds magnificent!" I tell him then make my way over to the guy and begin to flirt.

Matthew breaks of the kiss noticing something wrong; he can't quite place it until he looks around and doesn't see me.

"Uh, Ivan. Where is Celestia?" Ivan blushes and looks away. "Ivan! What happened?" Matthew notices Ivan's pipe resting beside the couch. "And why is that out?"

"Well, you see you were French, da? The girl said she could fix you, but she slapped you and I may have… hit her with the pipe by accident…" he admits. Matthew shakes his head and groans.

"She was probably trying to shock me sober! She works in a bar, Ivan! She knows how to deal with drunks!" Matthew face palms and then remembers how hard Ivan can hit. "What did you do with her? I know you had to have knocked her out."

"She may have gone French herself and left…" Ivan admits and looks down ashamed.

"You let her out of here in French mode? She just received Earth shattering news and then you knock another personality into her! She probably can't control it!" Matthew tells him. He wants to be angry but he just sighs and looks exasperated.

"I could not stop her as you were busy kissing me, da?"

"Let's just find her before something bad happens… you know Francis…"

"I have her cell phone number. We can call that." Ivan tells Matthew before grabbing his own to dial it.

"How do you have her number?"

"I may have taken the number when she was reading about herself. If we take her to Germany and she gets lost, we have number to be safe, da?" Ivan dials the number and hands the phone to Matthew. "You can talk to the French girl better. You know how they think."

"I just hope she picks up," Matthew says worried. Knowing the French personality, if she has found a victim, she will ignore the phone and focus on the man, or woman, she has picked. When the phone goes to voicemail he hangs up with a sigh. "She isn't answering but we can trace her phone, right?"

"You are funny, but I would like to dance, mon cher!" I tell the guy. We have had about three drinks and I am ready to get out of here. Inside I know what she is doing but I can't even move; I am being held prisoner in my own head. I watch as the French version of me leads him to the dance floor and feel extremely pissed when he starts to wrap his arms around me. I get even more upset when French me laughs and holds him back. I want to call her a bitch but that would technically be insulting myself. The other voices in my head seem to not care as they all comment on what's happening and I try not to laugh when one calls her a frog; then I return to trying to gain control again.

"I am sorry, one moment, please?" I say as my phone goes off. When I see it is an unknown number I send it to voicemail. French me puts the phone away and thinks back at us. 'Just relax in there mes amis! Let me show you how to have a good time!' Then with a laugh I turn back to the guy and ask for another drink.

Matthew sits down and begins the long task of trying to locate my phone before Ivan steps forward and takes his phone away.

"I need that to track her, Ivan!" Matthew says reaching for the phone, but Ivan just shakes his head. "She is my niece!" realizes what he said and that I really am.

"Da. You could just be checking Facebook, though?" he hands Matthew his own phone where he has pulled up my profile and shows him a picture from about five minutes ago James posted.

"She's at the bar! Let's go!" Matthew runs straight out towards the bar at superhuman speed; perks of being a country. Ivan follows soon after with his pipe. He actually looked at the picture and noticed the guy with his hands all over me.

When I realize I can't get out, I start to hope that Matthew and Ivan come to find me… they have to right? He is Alfred's brother, making him my uncle. 'Uncle Matthew will come! Ivan will too, I know it!' I keep repeating this in my head over and over but as the guy starts to lead me out of the bar I begin to question it. Will they come get me out? Once out of the bar the guy leads me down the alley and starts to kiss me, and sadly, French me kisses back. Just when I think it's over I hear an extremely angry voice come from the end of the alley.

"Get your dirty hands off my niece…" I see Matthew and inside real me is elated. Ivan appears behind him and charges forward and takes a swing at the dude, knocking him out instantly.

"Ah, so I see hard to get has changed his mind, no?" French me says with a wink and Ivan shakes his head. Matthew runs forward towards me.

"God damn it, France!" Matthew says just before punching me and knocking me out. Ivan looks at him bewildered. "What? I wanted to save my niece! Don't judge!" Back inside my head that French bitch sighs.

'I try to show you a good time and this is the thanks I get? So sad, mon cher…'

"What do we do with him?" Ivan gestures to the unconscious man with his pipe. Matthew's eyes glow red for a moment.

"I don't care, kill him if you want. We got her back and that's all that matters to me." Matthew picks me up and carries my out cold body home. "Let's go, little one." Ivan stays behind a moment and looks at his pipe.

"Well he said I could…" Ivan swings the pipe down with a smile and then tosses the guy in a dumpster not caring if he survived that last blow or not. Then swinging his pipe, he follows behind. Unconsciously I tuck into his arms and mumble the bit that French me told me about having a good time.

"I am sorry I had to punch you, Celestia," Matthew whispers genuinely feeling bad about it, even if it was necessary. I respond to him unconsciously in French.

"I was not finished with him yet, Uncle."

"I don't fucking care, he wasn't good enough for you anyway."

"No human will be, but they are still fun."

"No! Humans are not for entertainment!" Matthew tells me as Ivan catches up and hugs Matthew from behind. He is now confused as we were speaking in French until that point.

"What are they for then, Uncle?" I ask him and Matthew tears up.

"They are here to make the world better," Matthew says and slows down wondering what brought this on, Ivan just listens.

"Damn good job they have done so far," I whisper, tears forming in my eyes.

"There are good humans out there," they both look down at me as they notice I am crying. When he says this I laugh ironically.

"The only nice people I have met turned out to be countries personified."

"Well you are younger than us, you haven't seen as much as we have…" Matthew trails off nervously, thankful I haven't seen some of the things he has.

"Da, I am forgetting she is just a baby. She is only, sixty-five, no?" Ivan laughs and Matthew gives off a nervous chuckle as I start to cry and slip back into French.

"They tried to kill me once and they put me in a lab," I sob out. Those memories I wish hadn't come back spill from my mouth. Ivan runs into us when Matthew stops at the words.

"What?" he blurts out in English and Ivan looks at him confused.

"That was why Dad never let me go out by myself."

"When did this happen?" Matthew looks down at me and on the back of my neck, normally hidden by my hair; he sees the faint black lines that write out a number. He looks carefully at me some more and sees the faint lines of old scars that blend in nearly perfectly with my skin; no one would notice them if they didn't look.

"When I was little. I used to think they were just nightmares, but now I know they were memories."

"I will kill them all! Any of them that are still alive!" Matthew's eyes go red again and Ivan hugs him to try to calm him down. Matthew give a startled squeak forgetting Ivan was there.

"That was another reason I wanted to see the world. I always knew there had to be good things out there," I fall back into English and I stay quiet now. The others try to take advantage of this and one, England, succeeds to deliver a message. "Even with her memories back, she still has hope for them. Try to prove her right, please?" Matthew nods and starts back to the house.

"The world is a bad place. As a country we are here to make it better, we just might not know how to do it all the time," Matthew sighs and finally reaches the house.

"Her heart is filled with so much hope. We truly wish none break it," I sigh and Matthew places me on the couch.

"You've never met a Canadian then; we are apparently nice," he laughs.

"Are they really any different? Are any humans actually different? They hate and hurt, they take and they leave, destroy all they see… and why? Because it is not like them."

"Hey, you haven't met everyone in the world yet. Just Americans, and you are right; most of them are jerks," he doesn't want to say French are too; sometimes Matthew hates his dad. He walks into the kitchen and grabs some cold water and walks back in and throws it on my face. "Now wake up!"


End file.
